Footrest for motor vehicle

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to an adjustable footrest ( 1 ) connected to the floor of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising a framework structure ( 2 ) of which at least one face ( 23 ), intended to accommodate the foot of a driver, is inclined toward the front of the vehicle and to the rear of which is fixed a mechanism for moving this face, the mechanism itself being fixed to the floor.  
     According to the invention, the mechanism ( 3 ) is a mechanism for linear displacement along the axis of the vehicle.

[0001] The present invention relates to an adjustable footrest connected to a floor structure.

[0002] It relates more particularly to An adjustable footrest connected to the floor of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising a framework structure of which at least one face, intended to accommodate the foot of a driver, is inclined toward the front of the vehicle and to the rear of which is fixed a mechanism for moving this face, the mechanism itself being fixed to the floor.

[0003] It is known practice for adjustable pedalboxes to be fitted in motor vehicles equipped with automatic gearboxes. The term “adjustable” means that all or part of the pedalbox can be moved closer to or away from the driver's seat in the lengthways direction of the vehicle so that it is possible to tailor the position of at least part of the pedalbox to the position of the driver's seat and therefore to his size.

[0004] In particular, adjustable footrests on which the left foot of the driver is intended to be placed are known. These footrests can be translated along the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle so as to adopt the position desired by the driver. Thus, footrests connected to the floor of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising a framework structure of which at least one face, intended to accommodate the foot of a driver, is inclined toward the front of the vehicle and to the rear of which is fixed a mechanism for moving this face, the mechanism itself being fixed to the floor, are known.

[0005] These currently-known adjustable footrests are not entirety satisfactory because they do not allow the driver's free leg which is not exerting any force on the accelerator pedal to adopt a suitable position.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to propose an adjustable footrest of the type mentioned in the preamble which allows the driver of a motor vehicle to give his leg a suitable position, irrespective of his size.

[0007] To achieve this, the subject of the invention is an adjustable footrest connected to the floor of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising a framework structure of which at least one face, intended to accommodate the foot of a driver, is inclined toward the front of the vehicle and to the rear of which is fixed a mechanism for moving this face, the mechanism itself being fixed to the floor, characterized in that the mechanism is a mechanism for linear displacement along the axis of the vehicle.

[0008] Advantageously, the linear movement mechanism consists of a slide and of an angle reduction gearbox designed to move the female part of the slides.

[0009] According to an advantageous feature, the angled reduction gearbox is fixed to the male part of the slide. As a preference, the male part of the slide is fixed to the floor of the vehicle.

[0010] Also as a preference, the terminal part of the output shaft from the reduction gearbox is a worm designed to transmit the rotary movement to a nut connected to the female part of the slide.

[0011] The invention also relates to a motor vehicle comprising a footrest as has just been described.

[0012] Other advantages and features of the invention will become better apparent from reading the detailed description given with reference to the following figures:

[0013]FIG. 1a: a perspective view of a the footrest according to the invention, installed in a motor vehicle, in its extreme folded position;

[0014]FIG. 1b: a view in longitudinal section of the footrest according to the invention installed in the same vehicle in its extreme deployed position.

[0015]FIG. 1a shows a footrest 1 according to the invention. This adjustable footrest 1 comprises a framework structure 2 fixed to the part, not depicted, of the bulkhead and consisting of a parallelepipedal part 21 directed toward the cabin of the vehicle and the floor thereof, and of another part 22 comprising an inclined panel 23 which rests on the floor of the vehicle, not depicted.

[0016] This panel 23 inclined toward the front of the vehicle is intended to accommodate the foot of a driver who is not operating the clutch pedal. Behind this panel 23 there is a mechanism 3 for linear movement along the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle, which mechanism is itself fixed to the floor by screws 31.

[0017] This mechanism 3 comprises a support piece 32, the upper part of which is machined to form the male part 33 of a slide on which the female part 34 or mating shape can slide.

[0018] One end of the female part 34 of the slide is fixed to the panel 23. Welded to its opposite end is a nut 35 in which a worm 4 constituting the terminal part of an output shaft 4 of an angled reduction gearbox 6 slides so as to transmit the rotary movement to a nut 35 connected to the female part 34 of the slide.

[0019] The angled reduction gearbox 6 is controlled by an electric motor, not depicted, via a transmission cable 7 connected to the input take-off 51.

[0020] The way in which the device which has just been described works is as follows.

[0021] When the driver of the vehicle wishes to move the footrest 1 forward or back with respect to his seat so as to optimize his position, he switches on the motor 5 in a way known per se, for example using an adjusting button.

[0022] The shaft 6 is then set in rotation in one direction or the other and causes the nut 7 and the female part 34 of the slide in its male part 33 and therefore causes the framework structure 2 to translate.

[0023] The invention thus makes it possible satisfactorily to provide a footrest which is adjustable according to the size of the driver, allowing him good posture in a driving position, this posture being improved, as appropriate, with the moving of the seat and the angling of this backrest, and of the steering wheel. 

1. An adjustable footrest (1) connected to the floor of a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, comprising a framework structure (2) of which at least one face (23), intended to accommodate the foot of a driver, is inclined toward the front of the vehicle and to the rear of which is fixed a mechanism for moving this face, the mechanism itself being fixed to the floor, characterized in that the mechanism (3) is a mechanism for linear displacement along the axis of the vehicle.
 2. The footrest as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the linear movement mechanism (3) consists of a slide (32) and of an angle reduction gearbox (6) designed to move the female part (34) of the slides.
 3. The footrest as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the angled reduction gearbox (6) is fixed to the male part (33) of the slide.
 4. The footrest as claimed in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the male part of the slide is fixed to the floor of the vehicle.
 5. The footrest as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that the terminal part (4) of the output shaft from the reduction gearbox (6) is a worm designed to transmit the rotary movement to a nut (35) connected to the female part of the slide.
 6. A motor vehicle comprising a footrest as claimed in any one of the preceding claims. 